


Analysing the Facts

by still_lycoris



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Angst, Drunk reflections, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-21
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-03-14 10:27:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3407258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/still_lycoris/pseuds/still_lycoris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Orac and Avon discuss what happened on Virn, to Orac's discomfort ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Analysing the Facts

Kerr Avon was drunk.

Orac observed this with a certain amount of interest. Kerr Avon did not get drunk. Normally it was Vila Restal who was to be found in such a state, although Del Tarrant also occasionally reached that state. Kerr Avon had drunk before, of course, but this was the first time that Orac would have considered him inebriated.

Kerr Avon slumped down in a chair and stared at Orac with an unfocused air. Orac decided to ignore him and continue its current study. If Kerr Avon intended to interrupt it, he would doubtless do so. Orac saw no reason to encourage that interruption.

“Busy, are you?” Kerr Avon’s voice was slightly slurred.

“Naturally,” Orac informed him stiffly.

“All back to normal after your … problem?”

Orac took time to process this comment. The only ‘problem’ that Kerr Avon could be referring to was the interference with its circuits on Virn, although that was some time ago now and Orac so no reason for Kerr Avon to be bringing it up now. It had been most perturbing, it had to admit. Nothing should be allowed to interfere with a superior system such as itself, particularly not something as primitive as sand. Worse than that had been the peculiar sensations that had overridden it, sensations that Orac had been finding different to process ever since.

“All circuits are fully functioning,” it informed Kerr Avon, seeing no reason to share this information with him.

“Are they?” Kerr Avon asked in that annoying way humans had when they didn’t actually want an answer at all. “How nice for you.”

“ _Nice_ does not come into it,” Orac said. Kerr Avon laughed, a short, barked laugh that Orac had long understood denoted no humour.

“Is there some reason that you are disturbing me?” it asked, hoping this would bring Kerr Avon to his senses and make him go away.

“Curiosity,” Kerr Avon said. He reached out a hand and traced a finger over Orac’s casting, a gesture that Orac was not sure it understood.

“Curiosity about _what?_ ”

“What it was like for you to feel love.”

Orac did not like the comment. It created a confusion and Orac did not like confusion. To _feel_ , that was not supposed to be a function of it and yet it had been invaded and what had gone through its circuits had been … well, it supposed emotion was probably the correct word for it. It had been quite alien, quite … strange.

It reran the recorded moments in a controlled way, as it had done more than once since the incident, attempting to collate the knowledge. It was frustratingly difficult to do so. No matter how often it viewed what had happened, it didn’t seem able to turn it into something that made good sense to its current workings. The sensations had been horrifically overwhelming, uncontrollable. No wonder humans were all so illogical and ridiculous if such sensations mastered them.

“Was it just an idea of love, I wonder?” Kerr Avon murmured, apparently lost in his own thoughts. “A feeling of affection, tenderness? A desire to protect? Or actual desire? You did, after all, mention us becoming _lovers_. How would a computer register that, I wonder? Implanted programming, a burst of need that could not possibly make sense to the cold blank innards you have? How would a computer have sex anyway?”

Orac considered these comments with genuine interest. They were reasonable questions, interesting ones. It scanned the memories again, attempting to test the validity. Had it desired Kerr Avon in a carnal manner whilst under that influence? Was that even possible? It knew a lot about human sexuality, it was impossible to miss when you examined human behaviour. It was quite easy to picture Kerr Avon like that, all sweat and straining muscles and sinews and heaving breaths.

It was a nothing. Simply knowledge of how it would be. Connected to the invasion however … it meant a little more. Not much, not all … but the closeness, the connection …

“But it hardly matters, does it? You don’t feel it now, do you?”

“No,” Orac answered the question truthfully. “I no longer feel.”

“That,” Kerr Avon said dully. “must be nice.”

Orac decided that as that had not been a question, it was not required to respond. It continued to observe Kerr Avon, pondering the statements he had made. Yes, Kerr Avon had always craved a computer mind. He did not like to acknowledge the emotions that so many humans revelled in. And yet, Orac was very aware that Kerr Avon was just as ruled by his emotions as the other humans. He denied it but Orac had run many tests on Kerr Avon’s behaviour in the past and seen the results. 

Ah, of course. It made sense.

“Should I assume that you are feeling guilty about the incident over Malodaar?” it asked, pleased with its realisation. “Your actions were entirely logical.”

“Shut up, Orac!”

Kerr Avon knocked the key from it. Although the humans described this as “off”, Orac never considered it as such. Certain avenues were limited when the key was not in place but those were mostly unimportant. An impulse touched it and instead of returning to its work, it scanned the base’s security cameras. Kerr Avon was still sitting next to its shell, staring at the wall. His eyes were blank, unseeing. Orac’s hypothesis were clearly correct.

For a moment, it felt another strange impulse. A sensation that Kerr Avon should not be alone, dwelling on these thoughts without support. But the impulse was clearly illogical and Orac ignored it, returning to its study and leaving Kerr Avon alone with his emotions.

**Author's Note:**

> Written for 40fandoms 2015


End file.
